Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-13

.
Il feel az clipper as bird"
Then he went forth to spend the rest
Of the day in pulling down the consti-
tuition which he had just braced up.
AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY.
A single house in this city sold $780,
coo worth Of dry Photographic plates
last year, and the demand for them con-
tinues to increase. Every shopengaged
in thomanufacture of cameras and other
erticlos includedin Photographic outfits
is crowded with orders. One factory in
Greenpoint is just completing a single
order for $50 collective cameras -
that is, cameras that have all the out
ward appearance of fine valise and
may be carried about and even used
without attracting attention. These
cost the maker so each, without the
lenses, and are fitted with improved
devices for finding the object to
be photographed. bringing it into
focus, regulating the time OF ex-
posure, &c. The sale of this
kind of instrument is no longer
confined TO those who can use them to
secure pictures to be reproduced IN
newspapers, but is extending to all
classes of amateur photographers. The
demand for cameras to be made TO
order for wealthy people who amuse
themselves by making sun pictures,
with fittings or decorations to suit the
ideas or tastes of thecustOmers, is alone
greater to-day than the entire sales Of
instruments TO professional photo
graphers were five years ago, and the
number of the latter is increasing as it
never did before. The dealers who
supply chemicals and other articles
used in photography have also been
scarcely able to keep up with the in
creasing demand for their goods.
All this has been brought about by a
simple invention in photography-th
dry plate. Before that came into use
each glass plate upon which a negative
was to be made had to be prepared at
the time when it was to be used, and it
required special facilities and much
skill and practice to secure the best re-
suits. Outdoor photography, there
fore, involved the carrying about of a
variety OF solutions and baths and a
portable dark room, requiring a
wagon fitted up for that purpose, and
the handling Of the chemicals made
disagreeable stains upon the hands
and clothing. These were almost insur-
mountable obstacles to amatuer pho
Biography. But the use of the dry plate
greatly simplifies the process of making
sun-pictures The operator may now
purchase his plates all ready for use,
for a moderate price, by the dozen or
hundred; he may pack them away,
keep them for months, and cary them
to the other side of the earth. After
exposure they may be kept for months
longer, and if it is not convenient for
the opeGtorto develop them himself, al
most any. professional photographer
will do it for hin Tor few cents each.
And as the pleasures of amateur pho
toalaphy are more and moro apprecia.
ted, and as light and convenient appa-
ratus is Offt red, the number of those who
practice il increases.
Amateur photography has caused ~
injury to the business of the PROBES
sioDal photographers, although the in
vention of the dry plate has. Before
it, introduction it required skill AM
practice To prepare plate for mega
tive properly, and pictures were good
or poor chiefly becausa tho maker.
were successful in preparing GOO
plates or not, and some never could
make good portraits because they
never could make good plates. Bu
now, when photographers, as rule,
purchase their plates all ready for use
| skill has lost much Of the advantage il
formerly possessed and the business ha'
suffered greatly through the increase.
competition there is in it, and the bet
ter class of photographers have beer
anxiously seeking for some new brlncl
which shall be less crowded. Some O
the more enterprising men in the busi
ness think that they have discovered il
in the bromide process Of making so
called life-size "crayOn portraits.
Until recently enlarged photographs
have been made by means Of a sOlr
camera upon dry paper that was sansi
tied by the use OF chloride salts. Tn
process WAS a prolonged one, requirin
the direct rays of the sun, which coul
only be obtained in clear weather, an
by helioscope that would cause tn.
Tense through which the light passed f,
follow the course OF the sun III tn.
heavens. These conditions limited Tia
number of pictures that could be pro
| GucCd, and, of course, augmented tin
expense Of them. But 10y the new pro
cess Of making the enlarged picture
upon paper prepared with bromide salt
end exposed while wet, reflected san
light, or even an electric light may b.
used, and the print is produced in q few
minutes. In this way not only }
there n large amount OF labor saved
but the work can be carried on in n
kinds Of weather, and even in a roou
in which the direct rays Of the 81!
never penetrate. The pictures pro
duced in this way are soft, strongly r.
sembling crayon drawings, and whei
touched up little by young women
employed for thai purpose ae yer'
small pay are accepted rs such by TIA
ordinary customer. One Photographic
in brooklyn has developed this bus
ness to very large and very proftabl
proportions. 70 the purchaser OF 4
snowy frame for go ne gives
"crayCn" portrait made Ivy the pro
cess described above, either from car.
photograph or from Il sitting, and b
sells hundreds of pictures every week
sending them to al parts Of the Unite'
States.
The latest improvement in the pro
cess OF making "crayon by the bro
mide process is a camera in winch
coal-oil lamp, such asis used in a magic
lantern, may be employed instead Of al
electric light. Experiments with amin
strumont Of this kind have already pro
duced satisfactory results, and prOmi5
to simplify the making and cheaper th
price Of the class Of pictures 1 have de
scribed.
GREAT MEMS WIVES AND DAUGHTERS.
Among the Republican politicians
is said that one reason why Levi !
Morton, the banker, 50 continual
seeks Office when he is Of an age to en-
title him to retire, and has richie
enough to do SO maguifcently, is tina
his wife is anxious to shine hi Washing